Chapter 140: Planning for the Future of the Companion Beasts

The woods were bathed in bright sunlight.

Odogaron, feeling somewhat unaccustomed to the light, retreated under the shade of a tree and quietly sniffed the strange yet fresh scents lingering in the air.

Kulu-Ya-Ku tilted its head, looking at the Kakuna with curiosity. Then, its eyes lit up, and it scooped the Pokémon into its arms, finding it just as easy to hold as the rocks it usually carried around.

Panicking, the Kakuna shook its body and used Harden.

This made it even easier to hold.

Stone Heavy Strike was converted into a Bug-type move due to using local materials, with its damage calculated based on defensive stats!

"They really are all Pokémon unrecorded by the League," Professor Oak said, pulling out his specialized Pokédex to scan them. The screen displayed "Unrecorded" for every single one.

If there were only two or three unrecorded Pokémon, he might have found it acceptable. Professor Oak was well aware that there were undoubtedly still undiscovered Pokémon living out there.

However, having six or seven appear all at once was far too astonishing.

Could it be, just as he and Professor Magnolia had hypothesized, that these Pokémon originated from some secluded sanctuary or an unknown island?

Combined with the fact that Professor Oak had previously run a background check on Su Yi and discovered that he, too, had no records whatsoever—much like these Pokémon—it naturally piqued his intense curiosity.

"Kulu-Ya-Ku!" Su Yi scolded helplessly.

"Waah." Kulu-Ya-Ku resisted the urge to give it a peck and lowered the Kakuna to the ground.

Yet, the very next moment, the Kakuna began to emit a dazzling radiance, its form continuously shifting within the light.

"Is it evolving?!" Su Yi asked in surprise.

Bug-type Pokémon of this kind evolved very quickly, and certain stimuli could even trigger premature evolution.

Because of this, scenes like the following were common in the Pokémon world.

Someone might wander into a forest brimming with hanging Kakuna, only for the entire group of Kakuna to evolve simultaneously into Beedrill amidst the intruder's terrified gaze, immediately driving them out.

The evolutionary glow quickly dissipated. A wasp-like Pokémon with stingers for hands buzzed as it flew through the air.

Bzz-bzz!

The Beedrill beat its wings and let out a low hum. Behind it, a whole cluster of Kakuna suddenly began to flash with light as well, initiating their own evolutions.

Watching the hostile Beedrill, Su Yi turned his head and asked, "Professor Oak?"

Professor Oak took a few steps back, cold sweat beading on his forehead as he said, "These Kakuna aren't Pokémon from the research lab... They're wild!"

"Kajun!" Bulbasaur braced itself as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Let's run!" Tracey cried out in alarm, staring at the massive swarm of fully evolved Beedrill.

Su Yi, however, remained calm and said, "As long as they aren't lab Pokémon, it's fine. Tzitzi."

"Gaa-ah..." Tzitzi-Ya-Ku stepped forward, walking in front of Su Yi.

Upon seeing Tzitzi, the Monsties immediately anticipated what was about to happen and promptly averted their gaze.

Su Yi put on his sunglasses and said, "Professor, close your eyes or look away."

"Huh?" Professor Oak was momentarily stunned. But noticing the luminescent membranes on Tzitzi warming up and starting to flash, he sensed what was coming and hurriedly pulled Tracey around to face the opposite direction.

Flash!

A blinding white light erupted, instantly stunning the entire flock of Beedrill and causing them to collapse to the ground, unconscious and drained of energy.

"Let's retreat," Su Yi said with a wave of his hand, departing leisurely.

...

Before long, Su Yi and his companions had safely slipped away from the Beedrill's territory.

"Such a fascinating ability," Professor Oak marveled.

"Indeed. To this world, they are completely unique, so I want to give them the chance to fully express themselves here."

"I also want to let the world witness their wild charm."

"But they aren't ready to make a full appearance before the public just yet. That's why, Professor Oak, I want to cooperate with you to help these creatures survive in this world," Su Yi said.

Having gained the ability to travel between two realms, it would be an absolute waste to merely use it to let the living beings of both worlds pass through as mere transient visitors.

In the world of Monster Hunter, could Pokémon coexist harmoniously with humans as partners and helpers?

Could monsters survive in the Pokémon world, bringing new vitality and possibilities to this realm?

For Su Yi personally, doing this offered no tangible benefits, yet it was something he was determined to accomplish.

After all, this was something only he could do.

Naturally, Su Yi also understood that certain monsters could never be introduced into the Pokémon world. For instance, the Jho, whose very presence would disrupt the ecosystem even in the Monster Hunter world.

Moreover, how would a monster's ecology and abilities change once it became a Pokémon? How should Pokémon-fized monsters be raised along the lines of traditional Pokémon...

These various questions required deep understanding, which meant he needed the assistance of Professor Oak—someone who possessed profound research on Pokémon and extensive connections with other researchers.

Furthermore, Professor Oak, who held a certain degree of influence within the Pokémon League, could also help protect Su Yi's Monsties.

In short, the moment Su Yi brought his Monsties into official tournaments and competitions, or if he intended to introduce suitable monsters into the Pokémon world in the future to build his own paradise, contact with official authorities would be absolutely inevitable. Professor Oak was the most suitable candidate to bridge that gap.

"To protect these Pokémon, and to allow them to reveal themselves to the world?" Professor Oak murmured.

"I mentioned it before, didn't I? They still retain a considerable amount of wildness—even surpassing the... Demon Beasts of the past," Su Yi said.

Professor Oak furrowed his brow. "Demon Beasts... you say?"

Once upon a time, during an era when humans and Pokémon were at loggerheads, humans fearfully referred to Pokémon that would harm people without hesitation as Demon Beasts.

That was a primitive age when the majority of Pokémon were still ferocious and untamed.

"Therefore, it's not just that they aren't ready to appear before the public; people and today's Pokémon aren't ready to welcome them either."

"In other words, until we figure out a solution, I won't allow them to flood into this world in large numbers."

Su Yi reached out to stroke Kulu-Ya-Ku's head. The Great Jagras walked over and rubbed against Su Yi's shoulder, Tzitzi trotted to his side, and Odogaron stood guard behind him.

They had broken free from the shackles of monsters, and in both worlds, they deserved a place of their own.

Professor Oak frowned in deep thought for a moment before his brow smoothed out, and he smiled. "So, you want to create an environment where ferocious Pokémon can integrate into today's world?"

"This is by far the most challenging problem I've encountered since I began researching the relationship between humans and Pokémon."

"For now, I won't pry too deeply into the origins of these Pokémon."

"I can tell you understand them well, and you care for them deeply. You are searching for a way to have them accepted by the modern world."

It had been a long time since Professor Oak felt this way—the drive to embark on research for a deeply challenging topic and formulate solutions.

"Since that's the case, let's work hard together. This is going to be a most meaningful piece of research."